


Yuki Ya Konko

by Bellflower



Category: Samurai Warriors
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-16
Updated: 2014-08-16
Packaged: 2018-02-13 10:58:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2148180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bellflower/pseuds/Bellflower
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'The first few times she had witnessed his night terrors had been terrifying, and she hadn't known what to do despite the deeply etched desire in her heart to soothe his ills.</p>
<p>In the end, Gracia had tried the same tactics he'd used to comfort her in the past... and discovered that one very simple thing worked wonders. Or, at least, calmed him enough to make the tears stop.'</p>
<p>This fic contains indirect mentions of mental health issues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Yuki Ya Konko

Gracia woke to the sound of screaming. The sound had all the effects of cold water to the face, and she driven to her feet in seconds by the panic that washed through her.

 

“Father!”

 

Bolting across the room, the young woman was by the bedside of Akechi Mitsuhide in seconds. The samurai was tossing and turning, his face flushed and wet... you would never see him like this when awake, but Gracia had seem him like it very often at night. The demons never seemed to leave him be, forcing their way into his dreams and sometimes giving him nightmares so vicious that on several occasions now guards had rushed into Mitsuhide's rooms because they'd thought his screams were down to a physical attack.

 

They didn't do that anymore. Gracia didn't let them. She'd refused to let them even tell her father what was happening and decided that the best thing would be for her to take up a bed in Mitsuhide's rooms (merely telling him that she was worried about 'something' had ensured he'd agreed to it). The first few times she had witnessed his night terrors had been terrifying, and she hadn't known what to do despite the deeply etched desire in her heart to soothe his ills.

 

In the end, Gracia had tried the same tactics he'd used to comfort her in the past... and discovered that one very simple thing worked wonders. Or, at least, calmed him enough to make the tears stop.

 

Willing calm into herself, Gracia settled on the floor without touching Mitsuhide (knowing it was dangerous to do so when he was like this) and began to sing as soft and quiet as she could manage.

 

“ _The snow falls densely, the hail falls densely, it's falling, and falling, collecting more and more_...”

 

It wasn't fair that her father had to go through this. He was such a good man, such a kind and gentle man! Why was it allowed, for someone like him to be capable of such sadness and given such cruel nightmares? Gracia watched him frown, heard him wimper in response to her song, and continued.

 

“ _The mountains and the fields are also wearing their cotton hats, and in every tree flowers b-bloom_...”

 

Mitsuhide was, to her, the most important man in the world. He was too protective, that was true, but even though it frustrated her Gracia knew why. Because she felt just as protective of him, and were it possible, would have grabbed her father's hand and taken him out of the war-torn country and out into the big wide world. 

 

But all she could do right now was sing.

 

“ _The snow falls densely, the hail falls densely, it's still falling and falling, never stopping_...”

 

Mitsuhide wasn't moving around anymore; it was working. Now it would be safe to cuddle up close to him, and so Gracia did, curling up at his side without stopping her song. He was still making those distressed sounds, though; it wasn't so quick and easy to drive those demons away properly.

 

“ _The dog is happy, running around the garden,_ _the cat is curled up under the kotatsu_...”

 

No, that would take time. A long, long time, maybe. But Gracia would sing and sing and sing this song over and over again tell those sounds stopped for good. Closing her eyes, she willed herself to be strong for her father and continued. Mitsuhide might think only he should protect her, but Gracia knew better. She could, should and would look after him.

 

“ _The snow falls densely, the hail falls densely_...”

 

When the morning came, Mitsuhide spoke of dreams of snow.

**Author's Note:**

> The song Gracia sings is a Japanese folksong called Fuyu no Uta, or Winter's Song!


End file.
